A Conundrum of Infinate Proportions
by Twerd
Summary: Rory is settling down into marraige when she runs into old boyfriend, Jess Mariano. Sparks fly as Rory realises Jess is the pefect guy for her; but is getting back together the right thing to do?
1. Chapter 1

Rory opened her eyes and blinked a bit, to shake the sleep out of their corners

Rory opened her eyes and blinked a bit, to shake the sleep out of their corners. She rolled over to see her husband-to-be, Mark Haragon, sleeping quietly next to her, his chest rising and falling steadily.

She sighed, and checked her bedside clock. 5am. Holy crap, the one day she didn't have to wake up and her body clock had decided to go all Cinderella Stepmother on her. She shut her eyes, and tried to get back to sleep, but her mind was already up and whirring. Groaning, Rory slid her feet out of bed and padded across the bedroom, slid the door open and headed along the hallway to the kitchen.

She switched the kettle on, not even checking to see if there was water inside, and got a mug out from the cupboard. Three spoonfuls of coffee, then the kettle whistled, and she tipped the water in, stirring with one of those extra long spoons she had stolen from her mom when she left home. There wasn't much; she cursed herself for not checking the water levels; but she filled the remaining mug space with the last of the milk, and sat down at the kitchen table, sipping pensively.

The little two bedroomed apartment she shared with Mark had been her home for almost a year now, and she knew it so well that she hadn't needed to switch any of the lights on the entire time she had been awake. The small yellow bathroom, with the shower curtain covered in rubber ducks that Luke had given her for her twenty second birthday; the second bedroom, that was full of her mother's stuff because Lorelai was hardly ever not there; the kitchen-diner, with the appliances behind the counter, and the table, chairs, sofa and t.v in front of the counter. She and Mark often joked that the kitchen was like the one on Scrubs.

_We watch way too much t.v._

Rory dipped her finger in her coffee, swirling the milk which had risen to the top. In two weeks she would be a married woman, no longer a Gilmore, but a Haragon. Rory Haragon. She'd have to have the marraige in the Times; she didn't want all her readers to think she'd been replaced.

She jumped as a vibration went off behind her. She'd left her cell on the sofa. She walked over and flicked it open.

_One new message; Mom._

Rolling her eyes, Rory clicked the OPEN button.

_Rory, for all that is holy, be awake, child, Luke is snoring and if you do not tell me how to stop it the Police will be over asking what's causing the mini earthquake coming from our house. X_

Rory smiled; she was glad her mom and Luke were back together. Luke was a good guy.

_Love you too, mom. How is everything? How's Kirk's baby? x_

She took the phone back over to the table, flipping the light switch and picking up yesterdays paper from the floor as she went. She hadn't had a chance to read it yet; there was supposed to be quite a good article on the love life of Thomas Hardy. Also, she wanted to go and see a movie with Mark, and needed to pick.

After reading the article and selecting a James Bond, she scanned the rest of the paper. There was her article on the congress election; Mark's review of the latest Heroes season ("We have to buy it, Rory, it's actually amazing!"), the letters written in by random insane New Yorkers, the bestseller list-

The bestseller list; with a name that had just caught her eye as she was about to turn the page.

"Woah."  
_**Man of Many Means **__by__** Jess Mariano**_

It was at the top, the number one space. Rory quickly scanned the review section again; yes, there it was, reviewed by Geoffrey Wolff. And it was a good review. Rory raised her eyebrows. Jess had come a long way, from the leather-clad riotous bad-boy he had been when they had dated, to this bestselling author.

"Morning, Rory…"

Rory turned and smiled at Mark, stumbling into the kitchen half-awake, rubbing his eyes and leaning on the counter.

"I made coffee." She said.

"Thanks," Mark said, scanning the kitchen. "where is it?"

"No, I made coffee, so there's no water left in the kettle. You'll have to refill it."  
"I love that you're so thoughtful."  
"I love that too."

Rory took another sip of her own drink, which had cooled down some. Mark came and sat opposite her when his own mug was full, and passed her a doughnut from the half eaten box they had bought yesterday. She bit into it thoughtfully.

"Anything interesting happen?" Mark asked, inclining towards the paper.

"What? Oh, no, it's yesterday's." She slid him the paper.

Mark scanned the page. "That's a good book."

"Which one?"

"The new Mariano."

Rory raised her eyebrows. "The _new _one?"

Mark nodded, "Oh, yeah, Mariano's done a few. He's a good writer."

Rory scratched her head, nonplussed. "Guess what?"

"We are the only couple in the whole of New York who ever have doughnuts for breakfast."

"You need sugar to start your day. And, no, not that. Jess Mariano; I used to know him."

"You kid!" Mark looked surprised.

"Oh, yeah. My mom's dating his uncle. I went out with Jess, actually. He was the guy who convinced me to go back to Yale."

"Well, that's a lot of new data for five thirty on a Saturday." Mark said, grinning. "You should get back in touch; I'd really like to meet him."  
Rory shrugged. "I guess."

Her phone vibrated again, and the new message flashed onto the screen. _The Kirkling is a strange strange creature. Stay away. Luke is awake now and hates you for making my cell go off. But mommy loves you because now she won't have permanent ear damage and will still be able to hear your lovely voice in her old age.x_

"You know what I fancy?" Mark said, as Rory smiled and closed her phone.

"Me."

"Suddenly the whole world revolves around Rory Leigh Not-Much-Longer-to-be Gilmore."

"Yes, it does."

"But seriously. I want to go down to central park grab the early hours and a pretzel."

"Oooh, pretzels. I love pretzels."

"A really big pretzel."

"Rory want big pretzel, Mark!"

He grinned, and they stood up, heading back to the bedroom to change. Rory glanced at the paper as she passed it.

_Jess Mariano. Jeez. _


	2. Chapter 2

"Hold the seat

"Hold the seat."

"Rory, it's a bench."

"Yeah, but hold it, anyway."

"The park is full of benches."

"Yes, but if you hold that one we won't have to go find another."

Mark rolled his eyes, and sat down heavily on the wooden bench. "Happy?"

Rory grinned. "Yes. Going to go find big pretzels now. And coffee."

"You just had coffee."

"Yes, boring, homemade, tasteless coffee. I'm going to have some up-market, sophisticated Al's Coffee. Hold the bench."

"I'm rooted."

Rory bent over and kissed him on the forehead, then ran out onto the street, and looked around for the many stalls, the smell of whose merchandise was filling up the morning air. She located the Giant Pretzels stand, bought a couple, then headed a block down to where she knew Al's Coffee stand was.

A queue had formed, full of impatient looking New Yorkers dressed in business suits and carrying briefcases. Rory stood in line, staring at the huge Hispanic man behind the counter pouring out Lattes and Americano's.

"Rory?"

She span around.

"Jess?"

She blinked a couple times, not quite sure if she wasn't just suffering from chronic sleep depression. But no, there he was, joining the queue behind her, and smiling in that half hearted way he always had. Dressed in his trademark leather jacket and jeans, he had changed only in the fact that his hair was shorter and he looked older.

"Oh, my God, Jess! How are you?!"

"I'm good. Look at you, all bright eyed and bushy tailed! Since when do you wake up before it's time to go to sleep again?"

Rory smiled at him. There was a short silence as they both grinned stupidly.

"So…" Jess said, to break the moment, "just a big a pig as you were when I worked at the diner, then?"

"What?" Rory replied, confused.

"You have two pretzels."

"I do?"

"Yeah."

Rory looked down at her hands and at the two giant pretzels wrapped in napkins. "Oh, yeah." She looked at Jess. He looked at her, and wore the same expression he had used when looking at Taylor or Lane's mom. Like she was insane. Rory blushed. "Yeah, I'm not eating them both."

"So the second one's for decoration?"

"Er, no, it's, um, for Mark."

"Mark?" His face froze in its expression.

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend."

"Fiancé, actually. He proposed two months ago."  
Jess raised one eyebrow. Rory found herself staring at it. _I love his eyebrow. _

"On your birthday?"

"What?"

"Two months ago, your birthday."

Rory stared at him, slightly dumbfounded.

"Er… yeah, my birthday! How did you remember that?"

Jess shrugged. "I was gonna send a card, but I'm not much of a Hallmark kinda guy."

Rory laughed, and then suddenly remembered the shock of this mornings bestseller list. "Oh my gosh, Jess, you were in the Times!"

"You were in the Times too." He said, putting his hands in his pockets. "I've been reading your articles."

Rory was sidetracked. "You've been reading my articles?" She felt suddenly guilty. "But I haven't read your book!"

Jess shrugged, "No biggie. It's not that good anyway."

"It's a bestseller!" Rory said, suddenly feeling terribly ashamed. Jess was her friend, albeit one she had lost contact with; she was obligated to read any book he wrote ever; he'd read her articles…. "I'm going to go buy it."

"What?" Jess said, confused as Rory stepped out of the line and started walking away. "Rory, what about your coffee? Come back!"

"I'm going to go buy your book!" She yelled over her shoulder as she walked off.

"Rory, you're being stupid!"

"It's your book, you'll get the money, I should have read it ages ago!" She was getting further away. Jess started running after her, so Rory sped up, and the people on the sidewalk grumbled as they both pushed by.

"Rory, slow down! Wait!" Jess was suddenly behind her, and grabbed her shoulder. Rory felt herself being dragged to a halt. She turned around.

"I'm sorry I didn't read your book."

"Books, actually. But Rory, seriously, don't try and kill me before I get lunch, and you don't need to buy the book, just come round to mine and I'll give you one-"

"Yes! Of course, yeah, I'm so sorry Jess, but its great to see you again, and we should really- I should-"  
"Rory, you're rambling. "

Rory drew a breath. "Yes, I am rambling," she smiled, "I'll be more coherent after coffee."  
"Then let's go back to Al's."

Rory grinned, and together they walked back to the coffee stand, laughing and catching up on each other's news.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oooh no

"Oooh no."

"What?"

Rory looked up at Jess, her face suddenly really guilty-looking. She held up her vibrating phone. "It's Mark."

Jess snorted into his coffee, as Rory stared at the phone. "Oh, my gosh, he's probably been holding the same bench for the last-"

"Hour and a half," Jess completed, laughing uproariously.

"This isn't funny! What am I going to say?"

Jess held out his hand. "Give me the phone."

"What?"

"Give me the phone."

"No!"

"Rory, just give me the phone!"

Rory glowered, and handed it over. Jess flicked it open. "Hello," he said, in a deep, monotone, and obviously fake voice. "No, this isn't Rory…" Rory couldn't help laughing as Jess raised his eyebrows at this question. "This is her boss-" Jess glanced at Rory, who whispered the name. "Gerald Marzorati. We had to call Rory in… yes, it was urgent….yes, I do believe she _did _mention a bench…" Jess' voice cracked a moment, as he tried to stop himself laughing. "I'm sorry, Rory has an obligation to her job….yes, I confiscated her cell; yes, she did have two enormous pretzels….I'm sorry, sir, but I really have to get back to work…yes, I will tell her you said so…goodbye."

Jess looked up, to see Rory looking at him, shaking her head.

"You are unreal."

"Mark says hi."

There was silence, then they both broke into wild laughter.

"MARK! I'm home!" Rory shut the door behind her, hung her coat up on the hook, and walked into the kitchen, banging her keys down onto the counter. "HELLO? MARK!"

"Hey, Rorryy," Mark said, creeping up behind her and kissing her neck, "Guess what your amazing boyfriend bought his amazing, hardworking girlfriend after her long day at the office?"

Rory grinned. "Is it a big, shiny, pretty car?"

"Nope."

"A life's supply of free movie tickets?"

"Better."

"What could possibly be better?"

Mark spun her round, and held out a tall, Styrofoam cup. Rory squealed in excitement when she saw the label on the side.

"You went to Lukes!"

"Yes I did," Mark replied. Rory squealed again, and hugged him around the neck. He laughed.

"You went all the way to Stars Hollow for me, and you bought me coffee!"

"Any decent boyfriend would have done the same when his poor unfortunate girlfriend was kidnapped by her mean, evil boss."

"Is it cold?" Rory asked, not meeting his eyes. She took the cup from him carefully, as if it were made of glass.

"No, it just got poured from a flask. "

Rory removed the lid, and sipped the drink. She sighed. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"Who doesn't?"

Rory laughed, and continued to drink her coffee.

But she was suddenly feeling awfully guilty.


End file.
